Album Review

Ghostlights - SomersaultsGhostlight - Somersaults

From the sentimental opening chords of ‘Unfolds And Bloom’ through the sentimental chords and power-pop choruses of the other ten songs on Somersaults the comparison with Snow Patrol is inevitable and to find out it was mixed by, Cenzo Townshend, the man responsible for their mildly successful dirge is little surprise to anybody with ears; but it doesn’t do the band justice.

Somersaults is the debut album by London/Cambridge based Ghostlight a band dedicated to home grown talent and the DIY ethic, they release their own music on their own label, and after a slew of online awards for early songs things appear to be on the up for this young indie band. It’s not bad when you consider they are only three years young.

The issue with this record though is that it consists only of great moments and not great songs. The strings on title track ‘Somersaults’ are a masterful contrast with jangling keys, but it’s fleeting and leaves you gasping for more. ‘Fingertips’ kicks things up a notch with some thrillingly funky distorted electric guitar rhythms and layers upon layers of faded drum fills; it sounds as if a DJ has taken their track and ripped it apart. It’s easily the best song on the album setting them apart from a whole host of radio friendly rock acts just waiting to bore you to death with their incessant moaning about the traffic on the M6, being ludicrously rich, and why you too should support David Cameron in his bid for a duller tomorrow. This though is a rare moment of triumph on a record that is constantly losing the battle to steer clear of tacky power-pop.

‘6 Years Later’ is a chorus of momentous piano melody’s and slightly accented singing that you’ve heard on a million montages for films that claim a romance racked with turmoil and/or comedy is the answer to your nightmares. It’s not.

Frontman Al White though is a singer with a beautiful voice who knows his limitations and his strengths, hence the soaring choruses. He projects himself with a gracious sense of vulnerability as he touts his stories of love, lust, and heartbreak: “I just need the chance, to suffocate this doomed romance, and all these things in my head are from words that you said.” Lyrically and structurally there are some profound moments such as on ‘Mathematics’ and ‘Sway’ it’s almost as if Ghostlight recognise their own failings and yet have settled for releasing an album which feels like two different bands wrote half each. The latter is a song which utilises White’s experience and tinges itself with stunning bleeps and beeps; it’s like The Postal Service never left our hearts, but yet again they do.

The component parts of this record are all fine, but there are hints of a much better band trying to break through and on Somersaults they never quite manage it. Ghostlight have achieved a lot in their short career to date and working with people as respected in the business as Townshend can do them no harm, so long as they don’t let the business ruin the few interesting elements to their music.

3/5

Review by Lauren Mullineaux

 Band Members

Al White
Thomas McCann
Jason Tarver
Patrick Fowler
 Track Listing
1. Unfolds And Bloom
2. Morning Lights
3. Warm Snow
4. Mathematics
5. Somersaults
6. Silent Novels
7. Fingerprints
8. Photographs
9. Years Later
10. Sway
11. Primer
 Band Related Links
Ghostlight Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?